Ryan Day Faces Tough Questions After Ohio State's Stunning Loss to Texas

Ryan Day addressed Ohio State’s late-game decisions and fourth-quarter collapse after the Buckeyes blew a 20-point lead in a 24-23 loss to Texas.

Ohio State Buckeyes head coach Ryan Day watches his players leave the field following the NCAA football game against the Texas Longhorns at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas on Sept. 12, 2026. Texas won 24-23. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Ohio State football has officially lost three of its last four games, including Saturday’s 24-23 loss to Texas, when the Buckeyes blew a 20-point fourth-quarter lead. The loss created tough questions for Ryan Day to answer about his decision-making.

Should Ohio State Have Let Texas Score?

Texas reached the Ohio State 1-yard line with 1:23 remaining, putting the Buckeyes in a difficult position. Ohio State could have intentionally allowed a touchdown and preserved time for its offense to answer, or trusted its defense to keep Texas out of the end zone. Day chose to trust his defense.

Texas ultimately scored with 25 seconds remaining, leaving Ohio State little time to respond. When asked Tuesday if he should have let Texas score, Day had a different view in hindsight.

“Well, it didn't work,” Day said. “So the answer is yes. I mean, if we win the game, then it would have been the right decision, you know? And, you know, in the moment, you're going to make a hard decision. And I decided to try to hold the line.”

Did Ryan Day Get Too Conservative With a 20-Point Lead?

With Ohio State leading 20-3 early in the second half, Day elected to punt on fourth-and-4 rather than give his offense a chance to extend the lead.

“I think the defense was playing excellent and I felt like that was the right thing to do at the time,” Day said.

Day stood by that decision but acknowledged he could have been more aggressive on a separate fourth down later in the game.

“You look back and say, you know, probably could have been aggressive on the second fourth down in plus territory for sure,” Day said. “We've got to do a better job finishing these games.”

What Caused the Fourth-Quarter Collapse?

Ohio State lost its rhythm in the passing game in the second half and seemingly became less aggressive on both sides of the ball. But ultimately, Day pointed to a loss of momentum.

“We had momentum, we lost it, and then we weren't able to get it back,” Day said. “And I think it's a team effort just in general.”

A game that once seemed firmly in Ohio State's control has turned into sleepless nights for the team and coaching staff.

“As you can imagine, it's extremely frustrating,” Day said. “It's maddening. And, you know, we're excited to get back on the field and get going because the last couple days haven't been fun around here.”

The Buckeyes will take the field again Saturday to face Kent State at home at 12 p.m.